In a shocking announcement, Blake Griffin revealed his retirement from the NBA after 14 successful years in the league. Throughout his career, Griffin achieved numerous accolades, including six All-Star selections, Rookie of the Year honors and even a dunk contest victory.
Griffin began his career with the Los Angeles Clippers as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 draft. However, he faced adversity early on with a knee injury that kept him out of his first season. Despite this setback, he bounced back and was named Rookie of the Year in 2011, showcasing his impressive skills in the All-Star Game dunk contest. Alongside teammates Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan, Griffin’s electrifying dunks and plays helped revitalize the Clippers franchise, earning them the nickname “Lob City.”
Griffin’s athleticism declined over time and injuries began to take their toll on him. He was traded to the Detroit Pistons during the 2018 season where he adapted his game to incorporate a reliable 3-point shot and earned his sixth All-Star Game selection in 2018-19 season. He averaged 24.5 points and 7.5 rebounds that year while also having stints with Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics before finally deciding to retire.
Throughout his career, Griffin averaged an impressive 19 points per game while pulling down eight rebounds every night. He finished third in MVP voting in the 2013-14 season behind Kevin Durant and LeBron James. In his retirement announcement, Griffin expressed gratitude for both the highs and lows of his career, including all wins, losses, injuries and lessons learned. He thanked family, friends fans teammates coaches even detractors for contributing to making it an unforgettable journey of fourteen years in the league.
Overall Blake Griffin’s legacy will forever be remembered as one of greatest dunkers of all time who also contributed significantly to teams he played for despite facing many challenges along way but always pushing himself to excel beyond what was expected of him